Sheet-metal coffee or spice can



(No Model.)

H. P. GRISWOLD.

SHEET METAL GOEEEE 0E SPICE GAN.

No. 345,780. Patented July 20, 1886.

is forneys'.

N. PETERS. Photo-lilwgrlpher, Waxhinzon. D. C-

UNITED STATES PATENT Onriciit.

HENRY F. GRISYVOLD, OF OIIIOAGO, ILLINOIS.

SHEET-METAL Coi-'FEE OR SPICE CANn SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 345,780, dated July 20, 1886.

.Application filed April29,186. Serial No. 202533.

To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, HENRY F. GnrswoLD, a citizen of the United States, residing in Chicago, in the county ot' Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvenient in Sheet-Metal Coffee or Spice Cans or Safes, of which the following is aspeciiication.

The object of my invention is to provide a sheet-metal spice can or safe for grocers use of a simple and cheap construction,which may be conveniently opened and closed,and which will at thesame time be capable of being closed approximately air-tight, so that the spices or contents of the can will keep any reasonable length of time without deterioration.

My invention consists in the novel devices and novel combinations otdevices herein shown and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.`

In the accompanying drawings, which forni a part of this specification, and in which similar letters ot' reierenceindicate like parts, Figure l is a perspective view of a can embodying myiuvention. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section. Fig. 3 is a similar section showing the hinged cover raised. Fig. 4is an enlarged detail sectional view, showing the body or breast of thecan. Fig. isasimilar view of the cover. Fig. Gis a horizontal section of the body. Fie'. 7 is a detail view of the blank for one of the sides or pieces composing the body of the can before it is stamped or formed up. Fig. 8 shows a slight modification.

In said drawings the square or rectangular body of the can is composed of four sides or pieces, A, seamed together at the corners of the can. The body or breast of the can is provided with an upwardly and outwardly inclined seat or face, a, for the corresponding inclined seat or face, I), of the hinged cover B to iit against. The inclined scat a on the body ofthe can is vformed by giving the sides A an inward bend or offset, c', near the top ofthe can, and then bending the sanne at an angle to forni the inclined seat c, and then bending or folding the saine back to meet the side of the can at a, the point of said offset c thus forming a triangular or truncated triangular hollow breast for the can. The outer wall, a3, of this hollow breast should be formed just on a line or flush with the body ofthe can,and ahalf-round bead,

(No model.)

ya, should be provided at the lower edge of the wall c," and overlap thebody A below theshoulder c. The lower edge, a", of this bead is soldered to the bodyof the`ean, and soldershould also be applied at the point at. An equivalent method ot' forming this triangular hollow breast with its inclined inner face or wall, a, is indicated in Fig. 8, where the sides A are folded inthe reverse direction, and the lower edge soldered onthe inside instead of on the outside. In this casethe bead a5 is formed ot' a separate strip ot metal soldered to the side A. It may, however, be formed in the side A.

rIhe eoverB, in addition tothe upwardly and outwardlyinclined flange orseatb, is furnished with a horizontal ilange, b', and a depending flange or wall, the lower edge of which wall is provided with a wire, b, around which it is folded. The inclined s cat b and flanges Z1' and bt constitute a truncated triangular recess or channel corrcspondiugin form to the truncated triangular hollow breast on the body of the can, and when the cover is closed this channel iits said breast snugly on all sides, both at the .inclined seats c and b, where the cover has a wcdgiug action, and thus forms a very tight `joint, and also at the top and outer wall orside of said truncated hollow breast. The cover B is hinged to the can-bod y A j ust-above the bead c, the wire o" on the cover serving as the hingerod. The hingestri p e, securely soldered to the body ofthe can, unites the cover thereto.

The hinged cover B is provided at its front edge with a hinged catch, d, consisting of a stri p ot sheet metal folded at one edge around the wire 1)3, and furnished at its free end with a circular coil or roll, d'. The bead c5 is furnished with an angular' or wedging lip, di, so that when the hinged catch d is pressed over said lip it will operate to draw the wedging cover down tight upon the inclined or wedg ing breast of the can-body, and thus close the can approximately airtight.

Thehollow triangular breast ofthe can-bod y, in connection with the interlocking channelcover which fits over said breast, not only furnishes a ineans of closing the can tight, but greatly strengthens the can and cover, and ren.- ders bot-h stift and rigid, so that they will always accurately t each other.

The cover B is or should beformed of one piece of sheet metal, the same being preferably cut out or notched at the corners to give the required shape to the cover when it is stamped up. l

The front face of the can is furnished with the customary pocket for an indicating or a label card. This pocket is formed by soldering a piece of tin on theinside of the front face or side of the can at the corner thereof, and then cutting an opening or window through the front face of the can, so that the label may be read. The card is inserted in or removed from the pocket through a slot cut in the adjacent side of the can at the corner thereof.

In Fig. l thc vertical slot for inserting the label-card in the pocket, as well as the larger horizontal slot or window through which the label is read, is shown; but I have not shown the detail construction of the pocket, as it forms no partof iny invention.

The label-cards are ordinarily made of tin, and are printed with the words Teaj Coffee,77 dye. By providing the cans with these label-card pockets the saine can may be used for different articles, and it becomes unnecessary to stamp and enamel each can with aparticular name.

`I claim l. The eo1nbination,with square or rectanguY lar can-bod y A,provided with a triangular hollow breast having inclined inner wall or face, a, of ahinged cover, B, provided with alchanncl iitting said hollow breast on the can-body,and having an inelinedinner wall or face, b, iitting said inclined inner wall or face a, each of the four sides of said can-body andthe corresponding part of the triangular hollow breast being formed from one and the saine blank by folds of the saine, substantially asfspecilied.

2. The combination,with square or reeangular can-bod y A,provided with a triangularhol low breast having inclined inner wall or face, a,of ahinged cover, B, provided with a chan nel fitting said hollow breast on the can-body,and having an inclined inner wall or face, b, fitting said inclined inner Wall or face a, clasp d, and lip di, adapted to force or draw said wedging cover snugly against its wedging seat on the ean-body, each of the four sides of said canbody and the corresponding part of the triangular hollow breast being formed from one and the saine blank by folds of the same, substantially as specified.

3. The cornbination,with square or rectangular can-body A,provided with a triangular hollow breast having inclined inner wall or face, a, of ahinged cover, B, provided with aehannel fitting said hollow breast on the can-body, and having an inclined inner wall or face, I), tting said. inclined inner Wall or face a, said canbody being provided with outer bead, a, each of the four sides of said can-body and the corresponding part of the triangular hollow breast being formed from one and the same blank by folds of the same, substantially as specified.

4. The square or rectangular ean-body consisting of sides A, provided with internal offset or bend, a, upwardly and outwardly inclined seat or ilange a, and outer vertical wall, a,soldered to said side A, in combination with a hinged cover, B, having inclined seat or wall, Y

b, horizontal flange b', outer vertical wall or flange, b2,wire b, and hingestrap c, folded over said wire and soldered to the can-body, substantially as specified.

5. The square or rectangular can-body consisting of sides A, provided with internal offset .or bend a', upwardly and outwardly inclined seat or {iange a., outer vertical wall, a, and bead a, soldered to said side A, in combination with a hinged cover, B, having inclined seat or wall, b, horizontal lange b', outerrvertical wall or flange, bwire b", and hinge-strap c, folded over said wire and soldered to the canbody, and clasp d and lip d?, substantially as specified.

HENRY F. GRISVVOLD. \Vitnesses:

EDMUND ADoooK, H. M. MUNDAY. 

